Fabric finishing and like machines



Aug. 29, 1939. A. H. GENTLE FABRIC FINISHING AND LIKE MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 16, 1937 1939 A. H. GENTLE ZA'HLQBE FABRIC FINISHING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed Dec. 16, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG, 2

Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED STATES FABRIC FINISHING AND LIKE MACHINES Alexander Henderson Gentle, Spondon, near Derby, England, assignor to Celanese Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application December 16, 1937, Serial No. 180,105

In Great Britain January 6. 1937 Claims. (CI. 26-29) This invention relates to improvements in fabric finishing and like machines of the kind in which the fabric is subjected to'the action of free steam or other vapour.

In finishing pile fabric, for example, the fabric may be processed in a machine in which the pile is manipulated in the presence of steam. Thus, a raising element may raise the pile, or a glossing element may gloss the pile, while steam is being applied to the length of the fabric being treated, the steam assisting in setting the pile in the positon it is caused to assume by the manipulating element.

According to the invention, a fabric finishing machine in which vapour is applied to a length of fabric incorporates heating means so arranged and adapted that, when in operation, any substantial condensation of vapour can be prevented on parts of the machine from which condensate might otherwise be deposited on the fabric while it is being processed. 7

By the use of the invention, spotting of the fabric as the result of deposition of condensate thereon, more especially at the beginning of the processing operation, can be prevented or minimised.

In a fabric finishing machine in which a fabric is passed over an opening in a chest or box from which steam or other vapour is blown into the fabric, the box may be heated to prevent condensation of the vapour in the box and the consequent blowing of the condensate on to the fabric. Likewise rollers, pile-raising devices and like machine elements which contact with the fabric in the vicinity of the vapour may be heated to prevent condensation of the vapour on their surfaces and the subsequent depositing of the condensate on the fabric.

The parts of the machine affected should be brought to the requisite temperature before the finishing operation is started. Where the vapour employed is at a high temperature the heating of the machine parts may be discontinued when the temperature of the parts has been raised sufliciently to prevent condensation, the heat of the vapour itself being suflicient to maintain the requisite high degree of temperature of the parts.

The invention is particularly suitable for employment in the fabric finishing machines described in U. S. Patents Nos. 2,035,640 and 2,035,641, and by way of example forms of apparatus according to the invention applied to such finishing machines will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings of which:

Fig. 1 is a part cross-sectional side elevation of a fabric finishing machine;

Fig. 2 is a part cross-sectional front elevation of one of the fabric raising cylinders shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a part cross-sectional side elevation of a fabric finishing machine employing a glossing bar; and

Fig. 4 is a part cross-sectional front elevation of a smoothing or glossing bar.

Referring to Fig. 1, fabric 4 the pile 5 of which is to be raised passes with its pile uppermost around guide rollers 6, I and over a tensioning roller 8, the rotation of which is braked by a band 9 carrying a weight Ill and engaging a brake drum ll formed on the end of the roller 8. From the tensioning roller 8 the fabric 4 passes over the open ends of two steam boxes l2 and then over the surfaces of a porcupine drawing roller 13 and a further roller I4. The roller 14 is positioned in such a manner that the fabric 4 is drawn against the pins l5 of the porcupine roller l3, the rotation of which thus causes the fabric to be drawn through the machine.

Steam or other vapour (hereinafter referred to for brevity as steam") is introduced into the boxes II by pipes l6 which are perforated at I! and surrounded by baflie tubes or shields lg. Each baflie tube is perforated at ill to allow the steam to pass into the box l2, the perforation.

being disposed out of registry with the perforation I! in the associated pipe l6 so that any moisture drops which may be blown from the pipe ii are trapped by the baffle tube and thereby prevented from being blown on to the fabric.

The boxes l2 direct the steam upwardly at and through the fabric 4 progressively along the length of the fabric, and rotatable card-covered cylinders 20 disposed above the boxes bear against the pile 5 and raise the'pile of the part of the fabric to which steam is applied into the erect position indicated at 2). Each baffle tube I8 is open at its ends to allow anymoisture collected therein to drain to the bottom of the box l2, the bottom of each box being formed with a perforated baflle plate 2| and a drain pipe 22.

In order to prevent any substantial condensation of the steam on parts of the apparatus likely to permit of the condensate being applied to the fabric, such parts are capable of being heated to a temperature sufflciently high to prevent condensation. Thus the two steam boxes I2 are heated by gas supplied by a burner 23 disposed between the boxes, flames 24 issuingfrom the burner playing on the walls of the boxes and heating the boxes to the desired temperature. A stop 25 is placed between the boxes I2 to prevent the heat generated by the flames 24 from damaging the fabric.

The card-covered cylinders 20 are internally heated by electric current in the manner indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the heat being conducted throuahtbematerialoftherdlertotbeptnsot the card clothing. Since the two cylinders are of identical construction the following description of the cylinder heating means will be confined to one cylinder only.

A frame 21 of triangular cross-section is fitted inside the cylinder 20, and on each of the three sides of the-frame an electric heating element 28 is fixed. The cylinder is mounted on a shaft 30 which is driven by a chain sprocket 3|. The shaft 30 is hollowed to form a conduit 32 for electric conductors 33 leading to the heating elements 28 from slip ring connections 34 mounted on the end of the shaft. The slip rings 34 are fed by brushes 35 connected to a source 36 of electric current. In this manner the cylinder 20 can be heated both when it is stationary and when it rotates. The card clothing on the cylinder is preferably set in metal fabric or other heat-resisting material which will withstand the temperature to which the cylinder is subjected.

The hollowed shaft 30 is mounted in bearings 31 which are adjustably supported by bolts 38 passing through fixed frame members 39 of the machine. The cylinder 20 can thus be raised or lowered relatively to the top of the associated box I2 in order to vary the degree of pressure with which the card clothing of the cylinder engages the pile 5 of the fabric 4, and hence the degree to which the pile is raised.

When it is desired to smooth or gloss the pile of a fabric 4 the glossing barv 4|! illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 may be employed. The bar is a hollow, metal structure and is arranged so as to bear with its lower or smoothing edge 4| against the pile of the fabric as the fabric passes over a steam box II. The glossing bar 40 is internally heated by electric current supplied by conductors 33 from a source of current 36 in the manner described with reference to the cylinder 20 of Figs. 1 and 2.

The glossing bar 40 is provided with extensions 42 which fit into slots 43 formed in brackets 44 disposed above the steam box I! and. as with the cylinder 20, the bar is capable of being adjusted by bolts 38 towards and away from the top of the box in order to vary the degree to which the edge ll of the bar presses against the pile of the fabric, and hence the degree to which the pile is smoothed or glossed. Theright-hand extension 42 is formed with a conduit for the passage to the heating elements of theconductors 33. One or more glossing bars 40 may be substituted for the pile raising cylinders 20,-or

may operate in conjunction with one or more cylinders, depending on the effect desired in the finished pile fabric.

It will be understood that while the invention has been described with reference to gas and electric heating, heat from other sources; (e. 8. steam or hot water) couldsimilarly beemployed by suitably ada-p'ting'the maehine j:oarts to, be heated. As mentioned above the heating of the;

ply vapor to the fabric, means for heating the box to a temperature sufficiently high to prevent any substantial condensation of the vapor in the box, means for subjecting the portion of the fabric to which vapor is 'being applied to a mechanical treatment, and an electric heating element disposed in said mechanical treating means and adapted to heat said means to a temperature sufliciently high to prevent any substantial condensation of the vapor.

2. A fabric finishing machine in which fabric is subjected to mechanical treatment and in which vapor is applied to the portion of the fabric under said treatment, said machine comprising in combination with a vapor box adapted to apply vapor to the fabric and a gas burner adapted to heat the box to a temperature sufliciently high to prevent any substantial condensation of the vapor in the box, means for subjecting the portion of the fabric to which vapor is being applied to a mechanical treatment, and an electric heating element disposed in said mechanical treating means and adapted to heat said means to a temperature sufiiciently high to prevent any substantial condensation of the vapor.

3. A fabric finishing machine in which vapor is applied to the portion of the fabric being finished, said machine comprising in combination a vapor box adapted to apply vapor to the fabric, means for heating the box to a temperature sufficiently high to prevent any substantial condensa tion of the vapor in the box, a rotatable cardcovered cylinder adapated to raise the surface of the portion of the fabric to which vapor is being applied and an electric heating element disposed inside the cylinder and adapted to heat the cylinder to a temperature sufliciently high to prevent any substantial condensation of the vaporon the cylinder,v said electric heating element being connected by conductors with a source of electric current.

4. A fabric finishing machine in which vapor is applied to the portion of the fabric being finished, said machine comprising in combination a vapor box adapted'to apply vapor to the fabric, means for heating the box to a temperature sufficiently high to prevent any substantial condensation of the vapor in the box, a rotatable cardcovered cylinder adapated to raise the surface of the portion of the fabric to which vapor is being cylinder, conductors connecting said elements with a source of electric current and a slip-ring connection in the conductor circuit to allow of the cylinder to be heated during rotation.

5. A fabric finishing machine in which vapor is applied to the portion of the fabric to be finished, said machine comprising in combination avapor box adapted to apply vapor to the fabric, means for heating the box to a temperature sufiiciently high to prevent any substantial condensation of the vapor in the box, a glossing bar adapt-' ALEXANDER HENDERSON GENTLE. 

